It's almost the 14th anniversary of my scribbling of notes under the label of Possibilitator. Some 300 posts over that time, but the flow has become a slow drip.
It’s been seven months since I attempted to write even a brief blog. Not sure where the Muse has been hiding, but a recent spark ignited this latest attempt. Even as I begin this, I’m not sure what else may emerge out of this one. William Hartung, the noted arms industry analyst for many decades, has increased his amount of writing beyond reports and books that he has been sharing over the years to my great benefit. One of his more potent blogs is entitled, “The Disarming Humorist”, (Bill has a growing following as a standup comedian in NYC and DC).
In his October 10 post Bill wrote passionately about a new book, Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicalization of Silicon Valley, by veteran NYT journalist Jacob Silverman.
To quote Hartung:
Silverman goes well beyond the conventional understanding of the Silicon Valley “leadership.”
First is their toxic ideology, which is as or more dangerous than their technology. Silverman’s book gives extensive details on how Silicon Valley technophiles became new age militarists who want to eliminate government protections against corporate misconduct, and who have little use for democracy. One of their philosophical gurus, Clifford Yarvin, has declared that democracy is inefficient and obsolete, and that wealthy technocrats and their collaborators should be running the country.
Silverman also gives more detail than I have seen elsewhere on the tech moguls’ plan to build a global, networked techno-state based on deals to control ungoverned territories where they can do as they please, absent pesky environmental and workplace safety regulations.
Well reading this and the rest of the piece had me add this new book to my pile a week ago which also included Sen Chris Murphy’s recent good work, The Crisis of the Common Good, a thoughtful reflection from a veteran politician on the forces diminishing the common good and some approaches to rebuild it; Enough is Enough:Degrowth, Capitalism and Liberation Theology by Matthew Bernico and Dean Detloff a interesting look at our fetishism with growth and how the Liberation Theology movement from the global south has been challenging Christianity to address its impact on people and the planet.
I paused in writing here to read two pieces from two of my most respected authors/thinkers.
Rebecca Solnit today in The Guardian, “Americans,This is Your Chance to Slap Down the Broligarchs”, in her usual piercing and eye-opening way.
And
William Rees, retired professor of ecological economics and cofounder of the Ecological Footprint post from yesterday, “Humans as Planetary Parasites”.
Each of these dissect our current crises with insights that are often neglected by our typical media coverage. I highly recommend following each of them for a better understanding of both the disease and the possible treatments.
A day after writing the above I arrived at the MSU Libraries to return a couple of books and is my habit, to peruse the new book shelves. I came home with three more whose introductions I read earlier yesterday morning:
Emmanuel Vaughn-Lee: RememberingEarth: A Spiritual Ecology
Mariana Mazzucato: TheCommon Good Economy: How to Make Capitalism Work for Us All.
David Suzuki: Lessons Froma Lifetime: 90 Years of Inspiration and Activism.
I am captivated by the intros to both Suzuki and Vaughn-Lee titles, but somewhat undecided on the Mazzucato one. The latter, by a highly recognized economist, seems to have, in my mind, a largely accurate diagnosis of the economic system’s ills, but surprises me that she still believes in economic growth. In looking at the index and reading list I was surprised there was nothing on degrowth, post growth, or green growth concepts. Even though she writes from London no reference to British economists like Kate Raworth, Tim Jackson , Jason Hickel, or even Austrian Christian Felber who started a movement “Economy for the Common Good” in Europe a decade ago, nor no mention of the “Wellbeing Economy Alliance” . Yet, while it moves to the bottom of the pile, I will likely try to get a better measure of her message and tone before surrendering to my intellectual laziness.
I’ve met David Suzuki a couple of times, even once while he was visiting MSU. I’ve often admired his energy, devotion, and heart for our amazing planet. This will be a pleasure to travel with him over the next 180 pages with good fonts 😊.
Vaughn-Lee’s work is new to me. A remarkable life story from what I gather – a Sufi, jazz musician, becoming a documentary film producer and founder of a magazine who’s title is, get this – EMERGENCE!! If that doesn’t draw me in to see what emerges, I must not have a pulse.
Ideas matter. They move us to act. All of these ideas in the pages mentioned are aiming to build a better world for all of creation. The paths may diverge, but the aspirations are seemingly aligned.
More later on this journey I hope…
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